'Alert' Community Member Finds Missing Sonoma Man: Sheriff

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — UPDATED: A 73-year-old man who was reported missing Monday after he walked away from a Sonoma care facility was located "safe and sound" Tuesday morning, the sheriff's said office said in an update.

Paul Conrad Herz was found in a downtown Santa Rosa business by an "alert and observant" member of the community, officials said.

Earlier Tuesday, the sheriff's office said there was a "high probability" Conrad was in the Santa Rosa area because he left his bag of belongings on his daughter's doorstep in the Rincon Valley area of Santa Rosa.

"Thank you to everyone involved in this search effort, including the Sonoma Police Department, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team, the Santa Rosa Police Department and the Community!" sheriff's officials said.

ORIGINAL POST: The daughter of a Sonoma Valley man reported missing Monday found his belongings on the doorstep of her Rincon Valley home Tuesday morning, leading authorities to believe he may be in the Santa Rosa area, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office now says.

Paul Conrad, 73, who suffers from dementia and major depressive disorder, was reported missing Monday after he walked away from Sonoma Care & Rehab, 1250 Broadway in Sonoma, according to a sheriff's news release. He was reportedly last seen around 3:30 p.m. Monday at Round Table Pizza, 201 W. Napa St. in Sonoma.

Conrad is white, 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds. He has shoulder-length white hair and was wearing a green rain jacket; a light-blue, button-up, long-sleeve shirt; and gray pajama bottoms.

When he left, he was carrying a plastic bag with some papers in it, according to sheriff's officials.

Conrad's daughter, who lives in the Rincon Valley area of Santa Rosa, reported finding that bag on her doorstep Tuesday morning — with her father's belongings still inside.

Authorities believe Conrad may have dropped the bag off at his daughter's residence between 11 p.m. Monday and 7:30 a.m Tuesday.

"There is a high probability Paul is in the Santa Rosa area," sheriff's officials said. "If you see him, please call the Sheriff's Office at 707-565-2121."